Shooting pick-up scenes after principal photography has wrapped is a common practice for major feature film productions, but a rare luxury for indie movies like ours. As the 'Beautiful Noise' editing process enters its final phase, Marc and I decided to huddle with co-producer Ralph Barnette to quickly pull a small commando crew together, as we needed to shoot scenes that not only fill a few small continuity holes in the footage we have on hand, but that also helps us tie the Story of "Beautiful Noise" together visually.
For 12 hours yesterday lead actors Jay & Danielle and our dynamic BN "Run & Gun" Crew - featuring Rod Millington, Ryan Lebar, Alexia Pepper, Brandy Luke, Bud Buckley, John Mulligan and newcomers Andre and Jessica - joined Ralph, Marc and me on a chilly but sunny Suncoast day that turned out to be one of the most memorable of the entire shoot. From dawn to well past sundown, our dynamic troupe moved as fast as we could from location to location to film exteriors featuring an assortment of Harley rides and stunts, hitchhiking, motor homes and a return to "Noah's" Myakka homestead. We also shot a quick interior scene at one of the finest dining establishments on the planet, the legendary Michael's on East in Sarasota. The last shot of the day was my favorite and was completely improvised on the spot. After getting the candlelight dinner scene we needed at Michael's in the can, I decided to drag my tired Team to one last location before darkness completely engulfed the coastline. We made it over to the Ringling Bridge, which connects the mainland with Lido Key & St. Armands Circle, just as dusk was settling in. Wanting to take advantage of the breathtaking post-sunset golden hues of the sky in the backdrop, I quickly positioned Danielle - who had already switched out a killer black evening gown straight out of an Audrey Hepburn film into her "Dez" hitchhiking ensemble - on the walkway at the midpoint of the bridge and directed her to simply stroll down toward the camera and then pause to gaze across the magnificent Bay, which had a single sailboat gliding across the serene water. It turned out to be an incredibly cool shot and it was apropo that the final sequence of our movie was filmed at the most beautiful time of day in one of the most scenic spots on Florida's west coast. I couldn't think of a better way to say 'Thanks' to the community for embracing our production than by showcasing our young star in such a spectacular Sarasota setting. The simple shot not only works to propel the storyline of the journey of a key character in the film, but also serves as a reminder of the journey of "Beautiful Noise". Our musical-drama could not look and sound as great as it does on such a low budget without the enthusiastic support of so many wonderful Sarasotans and area businesses.
My sincere thanks to one and all, and an extra high-five to Danielle & Jay, Marc and Ralph and our BN "Commando Pick-Up Shot" crew - all of whom went well above and beyond the call of duty yesterday to help me bring the words on the page to Life in such a passionate, heartfelt way.
Steve
